Independence Day. It's celebrated July 4th every year across America. The celebration marks the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in which the Colonists declared our people would no longer be subjects of the British crown. This was a pivotal moment in human history; Blood was spilled and eventually the Colonists were victorious over the British forces. We went on to form a Republic that was the envy of the world, we grew it into a nation and then a superpower. We made few mistakes along the way, we learned from some and are still learning from others but our country is still the envy of the world.

How ironic is it that in order to celebrate Independence Day in 2011 that we must be kept safe from ourselves.

"SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes establishing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of Cape Charles City Harbor in Cape Charles, VA in support of the Fourth of July Fireworks event. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the Cape Charles Fireworks show. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic movement to protect mariners and spectators from the hazards associated with aerial fireworks displays."

We can't even celebrate Independence Day without government regulation.

* The action proposed is outside the statutory grant of authority to record information about multiple sales of firearms. Title 18 U.S.C. § 923(g)(3)(A) specifically grants the authority to collect multiple sale information on handguns and revolvers. Other firearms are excluded and there is no implied authority to extend this reporting requirement to rifles or any other type of firearm.

* ”FFL” holders are already required by law to respond to BATFE requests for information on firearms distribution pursuant to criminal investigations: Title 18 U.S.C. § 923(g)(7).

* The regulation contains no provision for the destruction of information collected, which establishes a nationwide registry of “certain types of firearms” as proposed. Because of this the regulation, as proposed, is illegal under Title 18 U.S.C. § 926(a). ”No such rule or regulation … may require that records required to be maintained under this chapter or any portion of the contents of such records, be recorded at or transferred to a facility owned, managed, or controlled by the United States or any State or any political subdivision thereof, nor that any system of registration of firearms, firearms owners, or firearms transactions or disposition be established.”

There is a grave potential for this regulation to unduly burden citizens who are collectors or must obtain purchase permits at the local or state level to possess firearms. The proposed regulation does not say what the agency intends to do with the information but ostensibly it would be for criminal investigations. Subjecting law abiding gun owners to this type of investigation under the guise of “information collection” is an overt attempt to prevent them from exercising their 2nd Amendment rights to purchase and own firearms.

USRKBA seeks to preserve, protect & defend the right to keep and bear arms and self defense through political activism at the state and national level. We primarily focus on internet resources to engage lawmakers, and bureaucrats. We welcome independent, grassroots pro-right to keep and bear arms activists who are willing to engage elected and appointed officials in the support of the right to keep and bear arms, self defense, hunting & recreational shooting.

Please TAKE ACTION NOW and feel free to copy & paste, expand upon & socialize these suggested comments to all concerned gun owners:

The conclusion of the ATF study on the "importability of certain shotguns" is based on a flawed interpretation of 'sporting purposes' using outdated information, incomplete data and stands in violation of the 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution as upheld in the 1939 US v. Miller Supreme Court decision, and 2008 District of Columbia v. Heller Supreme Court decision.

The study identifies 10 features which through a "working group" they recommend any shotgun with any of the identified features be barred from importation. Many of the features identified: integrated rails, light enhancing devices, forward pistol grips, collapsing/folding or telescoping stocks are in 'common use' on various firearms, rifles & shotguns today. 'In common use' was first mentioned in Miller, then reiterated in both Heller & the subsequent McDonald Supreme Court decisions protecting the individual right to keep and bear firearms for self defense. These features being in common use not just for military, law enforcement and personal protection have also found a niche in the sporting community and are practically ubiquitous in some applications. Briefly:

Folding, telescoping & collapsible stocks provide an adjustability to the "length of pull". This permits the user to obtain a more ergonomic fit and further allows sportsmen to share the use of the firearm with family members of different stature and age. This feature allows fathers, mothers, sons & daughters to all be able to use a single firearm, as well as allows users to tailor the gun to their specific needs. Better ergonomics and fit offered by these stocks provide for better control of the firearm and enhanced safety.

Magazine capacity over 5 rounds is and arbitrary and low number based on the industry today.

Flash suppressors allow for faster follow up shots when hunting in fading light of hours near dawn or dusk.

Integrated rails, forward pistol grips, & light enhancing devices all permit a more ergonomic and usable sporting shotgun and again are features in common use today. These features permit better ergonomics and control over the shotgun as well as the ability to easily mount accessories on the gun to enhance usability.

Additionally, many of these features facilitate the shooting sports participation of disabled Americans across the country. Depriving the market of shotguns with features which enables a person with a visual or muscular/skeletal impairment to participate in the shooting sports, is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and more importantly is a despicable attempt at preventing a protected minority in our society from enjoying the shooting sports. Included in this group is the Wounded Warrior 3 gun shooting team.

The study in many places indicated a need to evaluate 'sporting purposes' and declines to address what exactly qualifies as sporting. The study concludes that though USPSA has comparable membership to many organizations it does not 'qualify as sporting' under the current interpretation. Indeed, at 19,000 cited members USPSA dwarfs the membership of the USA Curling society which despite only having 13,000 members is an Olympic sport. This shows that ATF needs to re-investigate the definition of 'sporting purposes' for the use in determining importability of firearms. Because ATF uses not just questionable, but flawed logic in their study, ATF needs to reconstitute the "working group" to examine 'sporting purposes' in the post-Heller, post-McDonald light as well as with the understanding that practical & action competition shooting sports need also be considered.

In summary, this study should be shelved until 'sporting purposes' is redefined to include a more modern and truthful definition inclusive of action / competition shooting disciplines and the study needs to recognize that any one or even several of the features identified in the study do not disqualify a shotgun or other firearm for importation, that certain features which may be more common in military / militia context do enhance the ability of disabled citizens to exercise their right to keep and bear arms and prohibiting them from importation would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act and that some of these same features are protected by the 2nd Amendment, and reiterated via the Supreme Court rulings in Miller, Heller & McDonald.